Hi Ollie,
Exercise helps me a lot and diet. I'm no gym rat and certainly not in shape, but I try to do some exercise everyday, even if it is just a walk on my dinner break and I have been eating more healthily since the new year. Nothing OTT, just more veg and using portion control to not over do it, and I have to say that it has helped lift my mood a lot more. I've also started to read more than just watch TV and I find this helps me take my mind of things somewhat.
I do think that feeling better physically does help me feel better mentally. But I did also start seeing a councellor last year and this has also helped me. As my councellor say's to me, the counselling is mainly about taking ownership of your feelings and it's helped me to work out what things I want out of life and what things I have no control over and what things I should just leave alone and move on from.
It's not been OCD based, but it's helped me clear my mind of some of the other 'junk' that I have been holding onto and left me better able to deal with my OCD as a separate entity.
One thing that it has taught me, is that if I am feeling say anxious or depressed, I need to stop and ask myself why I am feeling that way? and it makes me concentrate and think about what it is that is distressing me and think about how I can stop it and whether like I mention above, it is either in my control or not. For example, if I am feeling anxious about a situation and I stop and think about it and realise that it is my OCD, then I know I accept that it is my OCD and I need to use what I've learnt from CBT therapy to deal with it.
Symps

Hi Mermaid66,
Would he be willing to see a doctor or a mental health or behaviour specialist or get one to visit him?
If his spending is leading to financial problems then I'm sure someone would be obliged to see him.
Failing that, perhaps you could make an appointment with his doctor or a mental health or behaviour specialist and explain the situation to them?
Kind regards,
Symps

Hi Irregular86,
It's sounds as though you have already been stressed leading up to this event and it is probably this that has lead to this latest episode.
From reading your post above, it sounds as though you initial dismissed the initial intrusive thought only for it to come back with a vengeance a few days later. Perhaps the added stress of worrying about what your husband and your mother in law would think maybe added further stress to the situation?
As stress is an ideal breeding ground for OCD, it's probably expected that you have had an intrusive thought at some point, unfortunately, you've acted on it.
But I wouldn't see it as a failure, as I think you can learn from it.
Looking at the situation, what would you do differently?
When you read back your post above, what do you think happened? What do you think served as a trigger and what parts consist of compulsion performing? How can you prevent yourself from entering or fulfilling the OCD cycle?
Is there anyone from the therapy session you mention who you can speak to in regards to this at all?
Please try not to worry about this too much (I know how OCD makes mountains out of molehills) and believe me, you are no failure. Blips, slips and relapses do happen but as I say above, I believe you can learn from this and get back to where you want to be
Best regards,
Symps

Hi Morix,
You know that no one saw you, so why stress about it? This is what you OCD wants as it fuels your anxiety. Don't think about it, it's just a thought and the only meaning it has it what you give it by thinking about it!
It's easier said than done, but keep trying you can do it!
Symps

Hi Battlethrough,
I'm not sure what it is that you feel the need to confess, but it appears to me that you know that you already know that this is a compulsion.
Have you tried exposure therapy? It sounds to me that you are close to breaking point, why not face the anxiety and give your OCD a kicking in the process?
I know this is tough and that life can be seem pretty empty when living with OCD, but you can overcome this and things can get better!
Symps

I range from seeing no sense in anything to being perfectly happy just finding my way through the fog.
I think just getting better is as much sense as I need right now and the rest just falls into place.
Maybe it's not worth trying to find sense in life right now, just take it one day at a time and work on the things you want to achieve and the issues you want to deal with. I believe that the rest will sort itself out in the end.

Hi Neil,
I always find resisting performing compulsions (in my case ruminating) is useful but like you say, sometimes you can do it easier (or with less difficulty) than at other times.
Have you tried exposure therapy at all? From my own personal experience I have found this to be the most effective way to overcome an OCD theme as I find that by just resisting an urge to perform a compulsion on its own, it can become quite tiring as the thoughts keep coming into my head and sometimes I will ruminate on them intensely whether for a few minutes or maybe a day or so. But with exposure therapy it feels as though I am able to 'attack' the OCD and loosen the thoughts/fears hold over me.
It's certainly worth looking into.
In the meantime, keep trying to resist the urge to resist performing compulsions and remember to challenge and reward yourself in equal measures. If you are feeling fatigued, resist the urge to perform a compulsion but also treat yourself to some down time or something that will help to de stress you or take your mind off things and if you do give in to temptation and perform a compulsion, except it for what it is, a blip and move on from it. The last thing you need is to put extra pressure on yourself and tire yourself out even more.
All the best,
Symps

Hi Malina,
I had thoughts POCD for 11 years before I saw a CBT therapist and got help and finally overcame this obsession.
3 years later I started to get thoughts regarding religion and going to hell and it really affected me. I didn't even realise it was OCD until I actually found this website and read about rumination.
I think it's sometimes hard to deal with the 'scope' of OCD. The different compulsions and ways that it can effect you and just remember that it is the same issue just coming from a different angle.
I still get POCD thoughts now and again, but because I don't engage with them and just let the thoughts go. They don't have the same impact they once had and disappear almost as quickly as they appear.
I wouldn't worry to much about being 'stuck like this', this is the kind of anxiety that fuels OCD. I believe that by doing your CBT and taking everyday one day at a time, you will soon see a reduction in these thoughts you are having and will be on your way to overcoming your OCD!
Best of luck!
Symps

Hi all,
Just thought I would share a quote which I think describes quite well my own efforts in overcoming OCD and reminds me that no one is perfect and despite many failed attempts, I need to keep trying.
It's short but sweet
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. (Samuel Beckett)
Hope everyone is well (as well as can be)
Symps

Hi Ginger,
I have not read a lot of the comments on this post (there are 7 pages!) but going back to your original question, I am starting to think the same thing. I just seem to keep getting 'hits' of OCD all the time. When I think it has gone, it comes back again, & it's so wide spread in it's 'themes' I just can't see to deal with all of it!
I read about people who overcome OCD, but that appears to be be when they only have one theme to deal with & doesn't appear to come back on another theme.
Like you, I try to stay positive (or anti negative) & do feel so much better than I used to be, but I do wonder if this will be something I just have to accept will be with me for the rest of my life?
I should also add, for others reading my comment, that I am able to work full time & am in a relationship with my partner. My OCD is no way near as bad as it was & is much more 'manageable' & I do believe that thanks to CBT & listening to a lot of the advice from people on this forum, my life is so much more enjoyable than it ever was before. So I do not wish to put anyone off treating their OCD as it is definitely worthwhile!
Symps

I know how you feel! Everytime I think I overcome it, it rears it's ugly head again! But I do feel a lot better than I did a few years ago, so, progress maybe slow but it's getting better!
That's why I think it's too much effort to try & put on a mask of happiness all the time. I don't mean you have to wallow in your own misery, but just remember that you're a work in progress (like the rest of us! ) .
Also, sometimes it's good to have a rant! & I'm sure your family & friends will understand your need to get things off your chest as well.
Symps

Hi Rover,
I think you just need to do what you feel is best for you in regards to this relationship. It sounds as though whatever choice you make your OCD will want to make it presence felt, so do whats best for you & be prepared to deal with your OCD whatever choice you make & don't be so hard on yourself, you're human & you deserve to be happy as much as anybody else!
Symps